AFPC “Roadshow” Town Hall

by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Gonzales
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rebecca Baxter, Air Force Personnel Center superintendent of personnel operations directorate, discusses enlisted personnel matters at the AFPC Roadshow Town Hall at the Hercules Theater, May 13 on Ramstein Air Base. During the town hall, AFPC briefers spoke to 86th Airlift Wing military and civilians on changes to processes and policies regarding personnel matters.

Leaders from the Air Force Personnel Center spoke to military members and civilian employees assigned to the Kaiserslautern Military Community during a town hall on Ramstein Air Base, May 13.
The AFPC briefers discussed changes on both the civilian and military side which affect how jobs are filled, how long it takes for a civilian to get hired, and the speed at which orders are received. The town hall was part of a larger initiative to be more clear and transparent with wing personnel, and to give them the opportunity to communicate directly with AFPC leadership and subject matter experts.

One tool currently being utilized for the military members’ hiring process is Talent Marketplace, an assignment system that is making it easier for officers to apply for open positions.“It increases the visibility of potential jobs to officers — what’s actually going to be filled — while increasing the visibility of those officers’ preferences to potential gaining commanders,” said Capt. Bill Werner, AFPC Assignment Program Development chief. “It incorporates the potential gaining commander’s input into the equation for the first time.”
Werner says they will learn from the input of its users and implement changes if they make sense.
For now, Talent Market­place is geared towards officers, however they are scheduled to integrate enlisted assignments in 2021.

Hiring on the civilian side is also being improved.
On average, it has taken approximately 175 days to hire a civilian, but during the last 18 months, AFPC leadership has worked to reduce the number to about 140 days, with their goal being 80 days. For the expedited hiring process, they hope to get the number down to about 50 days.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Andrew Toth, Air Force Personnel Center commander, opens the AFPC Roadshow Town Hall at the Hercules Theater on Ramstein Air Base, May 13.
Airmen assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing partake in the Air Force Personnel Center Roadshow Town Hall at the Hercules Theater on Ramstein Air Base, May 13. Leaders and subject matter experts assigned to AFPC visited Ramstein to engage in two-way communication with military and civilians and highlight changes to hiring methods, job postings, and assignment management.

“If it takes us too long to bring somebody on board, these talented men and women are going to find jobs elsewhere,” said Maj. Gen. Andrew Toth, AFPC commander. “We really need their expertise in the U.S. Air Force.”

AFPC leadership also explained how the use of standard core personnel documents, working with career field teams, and communication between supervisors and employees can help reduce the amount of time a position is vacant.

For more information on these policy changes visit the AFPC website: https://www.afpc.af.mil/